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Opinion Preferential treatment of white European war victims is a lamentable reality

Dean Van Nguyen looks at how Ireland has helped Ukrainian refugees and wonders why others have not been treated as well.

JUST OVER TWO years ago, asylum seekers were at the centre of Irish political discourse. This was in the shadow of the early shots of the pandemic, when government formation negotiations between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party following the 2020 general election hit a thorny issue: Direct Provision.

Abolishing DP was said to be a key demand of the Greens, with the party insisting it was included in the programme for government. I wrote at the time that my gut instinct was that this move was borne out of cynicism, because of course it was.

Direct Provision had been lingering in the background of Irish politics for years with seemingly little appetite from either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil to do away with the policy, despite human rights groups’ scoldings, intensifying activism, and the human beings sitting in the centres waiting for their torment to end.

Now, refugees are back at the top of the news cycle, but not as we expected.

Answering the call

​​The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused a humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, more than 12 million people are believed to have fled their homes since the conflict began: over six million have left Ukraine, while another 6.5 million are thought to be displaced inside the country itself.

Ireland answered the siren call. From the beginning, the government’s language was strong. “The humanitarian response trumps anything as far as we’re concerned,” said Taoiseach Micheál Martin in March. The following month, he dismissed the idea that the number of Ukrainians welcomed to Ireland should be capped.

More than 4,000 people a week were arriving in late March and early April, with those numbers dropping to about 1,600 a week by mid-May. There’s been a clambering, both from government and among the people, to make it work.

There’s been talk of bringing vacant social housing into use; personal stories have been shared, like the five Ukrainians living in a medieval castle in Galway. Get these people out of danger and within the safety of our borders and we’ll figure it out from there has been the mantra.

This is all entirely appropriate. Yet people already caught up in the system, and those who seek their liberation, have been left to audibly scream “huh?”. Because the response to the Ukrainian war is in contrast to the painfully slow-moving process that those living in Direct Provision have faced.

One treatment of one group

An EU Temporary Protection Directive was activated at the beginning of the conflict “to provide immediate protection in EU countries for people displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

Ukrainian nationals or nationals of another country living in Ukraine before 24 February this year can avail of Temporary Protection. Recipients are entitled to work, medical care, education and social welfare support. 

International Protection applicants do not have the same entitlements while their application is processed, particularly when it comes to the type of accommodation and the rights to work. International Protection applicants are entitled to Direct Provision.

In functional terms, this fast-tracking of Ukrainian refugees into Irish society, though the right and proper thing to do, has created a two-tier system that pushes asylum seekers from other countries to the position of B-class people, seemingly less worthy of our help.

As Ukranians pick up the pieces of their lives, refugees from Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria and other parts of the world who have also fled conflict continue to toil. And it’s not just those coming from war-torn lands. There are people who have claimed asylum due to persecution over their sexuality, those who faced the threat of forced marriage and the victims of sex trafficking, all endlessly waiting for the same rights in employment, housing and education – such as student grants and free tuition – now granted to Ukrainians.

The government seems to deem this to be acceptable because of geography. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said it was “only natural” that Ireland would respond differently to Ukrainians than to those from other countries as Ukraine is in Ireland’s “neighbourhood.”

Priority treatment

For what it’s worth, it’s only about an extra 700km to travel from Dublin to Aleppo as it is to journey to Donetsk. But let’s leave that to one side for a second and reflect on what this means. Coded into policy is the assumption that we deem victims in a white European nation as somehow more deserving of our help.

This highly discriminatory – racist, I would argue – attitude was witnessed in many clips from some news networks that emerged in the early days of the conflict (Ukraine is “civilised”; “It’s very emotional” to see “European people with blue eyes and blonde hair … being killed every day” and so on).

But even so, it’s shocking to see it percolating within our own government. I don’t mind admitting that as the son of a Vietnamese refugee, I find this upsetting on a personal level.

And with full solidarity with the people of Ukraine, who are suffering greatly, watching people from Europe effectively being ahead in the queue for refugees, it’s hard not to question the thinking behind it all.

‘They’re more like us’

It’s true that for each individual, different tragedies elicit different emotional responses. For example, the November 2015 Paris attacks that saw 90 people murdered in the Bataclan Theatre watching Eagles of Death Metal, a band that many of us have listened to, with several more killed on the streets of a city that many of us have visited.

It sparked an outpouring of grief not always emulated when incidents of similar death counts occur elsewhere. But it’s a very different thing to enshrine the importance of one tragedy over another – one life over another – into policy. And it’s certainly not good enough when we apply that binary to people already within our borders.

The media focus on Ukraine has centred it in people’s minds. People instinctively feel sympathy for the Ukrainians. But I believe Irish people also instinctively know that one life does not have value over another. And that the same story isn’t more or less tragic depending on which part of this planet you happened to fall into hardship in.

Some call this whataboutery. But whataboutery is a tactic used to deflect attention. Nobody is suggesting we do so from Ukraine – and, again, every call-out of the subpar treatment of asylum seekers from other lands must be caveated by saying it’s right that we help as many Ukrainians as we can. I simply call on people to look at the flagrant hypocrisy going on and ask that we do better.

Even promises to abolish Direct Provision have proved punishingly slow. In February 2021 the white paper was published, an impressive document when compared to what came before, but over a year on there’s been little movement on the initiative.

Indeed, last September, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Ihrec) found that its rollout was behind schedule, with some commitments made by Roderic O’Gorman “slipping”. A senior figure in his department admitted that the commitment to ending DP by the end of 2024 may be in doubt due to challenges.

It’s often argued that generations will look at Direct Provision as a historic stain on the nation. The recent crisis has eradicated insulting assertions that it has been an imperfect but necessary system.

In future analysis, there will be nowhere for our political leaders to hide. I hope this heightened awareness of the plight of refugees improves our treatment of those already here and who come in future, regardless of what corner of the planet they originate from. 

Dean Van Nguyen is a music journalist and cultural critic. His first book, Iron Age: The Art of Ghostface Killah, was released in 2019.

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    Mute El Sparko
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:06 AM

    “taxied to a remote stand” – is that not where Ryanair flights go by default??

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    Mute Peter Byrne
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:50 AM

    @El Sparko: usually land around Jodrell Bank and don’t forget only hand luggage

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Aug 31st 2020, 12:04 PM

    @El Sparko: brilliant !

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    Mute Luan Willis
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    Aug 31st 2020, 12:11 PM

    @El Sparko: Hahaha…..actually Stansted is the designated landing airport for security threats in UK airspace because it has remote stands well away from the terminal & other services. Even if the destination is elsewhere the aircraft is directed there with RAF escort by protocol.

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    Mute Fergal McDonagh
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    Aug 31st 2020, 8:46 PM

    @El Sparko:

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    Mute Euro McPúnty
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    Aug 31st 2020, 8:55 AM

    Serious bown trouser time when your enjoying your flight and all of a sudden see an RAF typhoon pull up beside the plane.

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    Mute Barry Evans
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:08 AM

    @Euro McPúnty: Enjoying your flight??? Ryanair???? You’re having a larf aren’t ya?

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    Mute Denise Kinsella
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:40 AM

    @Barry Evans: I’ve flown with Ryanair plenty of times and never had any complaints

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    Mute The only INFP in Ireland
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    Aug 31st 2020, 11:30 AM

    @Barry Evans: Ryanair are fine – very few complaints and I’ve flown with them a lot over the years

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    Mute Robbie Farquharson
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    Aug 31st 2020, 11:40 AM

    @Denise Kinsella: Exactly. Board the plane. Sit down and “enjoy” the flight. Land and disembark.

    Some proper snobs on this site alright!

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    Mute Bryen O Murchu
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    Aug 31st 2020, 12:30 PM

    @Denise Kinsella: That’s coz you were in a medically induced coma or something else you ingested.

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    Mute Divad Nayr
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:31 AM

    Wouldn’t have happened in Ireland, We don’t have the Jets to defend ourselves.

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    Mute Paul Hedderman
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:33 AM

    @Divad Nayr: Thanks Captain Obvious ;)

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    Mute Richard Cronin
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:35 AM

    @Divad Nayr: ring the RAF & ask nicely to borrow one

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    Mute Deborah Blacoe
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:58 AM

    @Divad Nayr: I don’t know what the threat was, but what exactly could the RAF Typhoons do in the circumstances? They are outside, the threat is inside.

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    Mute Proudly Italian
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:03 AM

    @Deborah Blacoe: extreme measures, shot the airplane down.

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    Mute Bran Brans
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:07 AM

    @Deborah Blacoe: Well, for instance, if there was a successful attempt to commandeer the aicraft and fly it into a populous area i.e. London, I’m sure the RAF Typhoons would have something to say about that.

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    Mute MickN
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:09 AM

    @Divad Nayr: Spud gun/hot air balloon with a cop with a megaphone “pull over the vehhiccle”

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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:33 AM

    @Deborah Blacoe: Target acquired.

    Missile away.

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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:42 AM

    @Divad Nayr: Ah come off it—–A few good young fellows with catapults!!

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    Mute Ted Nugent
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    Aug 31st 2020, 11:23 AM

    @Divad Nayr: In the Garda helicopter armed with a laser pointer.

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    Mute Bryen O Murchu
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    Aug 31st 2020, 12:32 PM

    @Deborah Blacoe: They can blow up the plane by rockets if it does not obey there instructions and is on a flight path deemed to be intent on crashing causing civilian casualties.

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    Mute Criostóir McCormack
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    Aug 31st 2020, 12:48 PM

    @Bryen O Murchu: Rockets? How old are you???

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    Mute Richard Ahern
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    Aug 31st 2020, 1:25 PM

    @Criostóir McCormack: very amusing

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    Mute DeeM
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    Aug 31st 2020, 1:57 PM

    @Deborah Blacoe: shoot the plane down if the cockpit was compromised and the perpetrators threatened to crash land the plane in Central London!

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    Mute Alan Richard Scott
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    Sep 1st 2020, 9:16 AM

    @Divad Nayr: we have deals with the RAF so yes we do. Maybe If Irish people stop their anti British dung they might engage with us more?

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:01 AM

    What constitutes a “potential security threat”?

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    Mute Jon Mackey
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:05 AM

    @Peter Cavey: that’s why you’ll never make an operator of 999 calls :)

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    Mute Ger
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:27 AM

    @Peter Cavey: maybe asked for harissa with his scone.

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:34 AM

    @Jon Mackey: tell me then? Did they have guns or bombs on-board? Were they going to hijack the plane? Were they drunk and were trying to open the door of the plane? Were they fighting each other or other passengers? Were they assaulting the cabin crew? The article is so vague.

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    Mute Ethan Lennon
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:53 AM

    @Peter Cavey: could have been any suspicious behaviour/items. The article doesnt say presumably because that information hasn’t been released

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    Mute Chris lynch
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:03 AM

    @Peter Cavey: if you need to know that much, call up and ask. If that information was publicly available we’d know.

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    Mute Canyon
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:31 AM

    @Peter Cavey: more than likely a threat a bomb was on board…some drunk leaving a note on a seat or in the jax

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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:34 AM

    @Peter Cavey: a tip off would suffice.

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    Mute Joe Toner
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    Aug 31st 2020, 10:46 AM

    @Canyon:
    Might have threatened to light their fartz and become human blow-torches…..

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    Mute SquintEastwood
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    Aug 31st 2020, 3:38 PM

    @Peter Cavey: somebody shouted I got a text..I’m POSITIVE and I left my mask in the toilet

    3
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    Mute Marie Broomfield
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    Sep 1st 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Peter Cavey: brown skin and a phone left it the jacks it seems!

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    Mute Michael Curran
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    Aug 31st 2020, 12:16 PM

    Helps with their budget requests if they can provide a few high profile cases. Must make it look like they’re doing something

    15
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    Mute corco80
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    Aug 31st 2020, 7:01 PM

    What ever flute thought a mobile phone was a suspicious device would want squeezing

    15
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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    Aug 31st 2020, 4:35 PM

    When you hear hoofbeats outside, think horses not zebras!!

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    Mute SteveBuzzard
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    Aug 31st 2020, 6:09 PM

    Ryanair plane escorted by two RAF Typhoons …. €30k ??? Who picks up the bill I wonder?

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    Mute Roberto González
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    Aug 31st 2020, 9:59 PM

    Crew obviously didn’t feel like doing the third and fourth sector

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Sep 1st 2020, 2:29 AM

    All sounds like Team America to me, durka durka, drop the WMD.

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